Pandora
by carnivalofrainbows
Summary: The Great Inferno over fifty years ago had wiped out a third of the world's population, however, unknown to the majority of the population was that the Blaze was God's Pandora Box, as though the Higher Powers were trying to prove their prowess.
1. Prologue

**Kuroko no Basket belongs to Tadatoshi Fujimaki**

I only own the idea.

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**Prologue**

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_The Great Inferno over fifty years ago had wiped out a third of the worlds territory backwards. Many saw this as Gods growing arrogance blaming on the constant bickering among politicians for the spoils of power and their inability to reach a consensus on global issues, ranging from humanitarian to environmental, along with the rapid advancement of technology, mainly that of Transhumanism._

_It was agreed upon that the world should now be governed by a sole body rather than individual units segregated by geography, or simply The Council. The Council possessed no clear leader, with members being representatives of the various administrative zones and ministries; only nominating one of their members as Speaker, in charge of the various administrative works of the Council._

_However, infighting among the remaining two-thirds soon followed. People blamed fundamental differences in ideology and interests or simply the sheer impossibility if such a system, either way, it soon sparked off a civil war, barely a decade after the Fire, nearly dealing a major blow to the Councils military wing, the Peacekeeping Force._

_However unknown to the majority of the population was that the Blaze was Gods knowledge, The Council was soon split, those who wanted to bring the children under government control to be included in the Peacekeeping Force as well as for further scientific study and those who argued for them to be left alone, fearing unscrupulous politicians using them for personal gains and perhaps the children themselves._

_With The Council in stalemate, with reasons unknown, the idea of a Monarchy was becoming increasingly popular among the people. The deadlock was finally broken by the resignation of General Toshiko, head of the Peacekeeping Force, recommending Yelverton-Kalergi Representative of Zone 5, former Western Europe as a candidate for Emperor._

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Rambles:

I know I should be updating my other fic but I lost the whole document so give me a couple to three more weeks, Ill update by then, so take this as an apology maybe?


	2. Chapter 1

**Kuroko no Basket belongs to Tadatoshi Fujimaki**

I only own the idea.

* * *

**CHAPTER 1**

"Your Ladyship please!" a young, petite female, wearing a what seemed to be a reminiscence of the Manchurian _qipao_ with her dark hair neatly pulled back into a tight bun, nearly jumping up and down in an attempt to reason with her mistress.

"Now honestly Yui, you honestly wouldn't expect me to comply with orders to stay locked up in my room all day now that here in the Emerald of Asia." Pulling off her ivory black wig before ridding herself of the tight plaits and pins that secured her long pink hair beneath it, swishing it satisfaction as she moved on to struggle out of her _Jūnihitoe_, "How is it that they expect me to remain in a twelve layer robe, weighing nearly half of myself, when I'm now living right smack on the Equator?"

"Satsuki!" A deep voice resounded through the room.

"Father!" Immediately bowing down in apology for having disobeyed his orders.

Peeking upwards, she caught a glimpse of a pair of boots, accompanied by a familiar, stifled laughter.

"Urgh!" as she proceeded to hurl the first two layers of her robe at the source of the snickering. Flashing her a huge grin before he sidestepped to dodge the clump of clothes, the tall male with ebony, cropped hair neatly swept back; dressed in full ceremonial military regalia, a charcoal Frock coat with red cuffs bearing his coat of arms and various military honours, accompanied by a maroon peaked cap of the Royal Cavalry, 2nd Division of the Empire and black jackboots.

Grinning back at him, "Shuu-nee is just being a hypocrite." sticking out her tongue in defiance.

"Well, have it your way," he shrugged as he removed his cap, ruffling his hair before he turned to check his reflection in the mirror, satisfied that his fringe had finally came loose, he drawled on "because honestly, I'm not handling this any better than you."

"Your Highnesses, I implore you!" Yui was now visibly frustrated, tugging at her dress to prevent herself from shouting, especially at her mistress. Although she sincerely loved her, she was one so wilful to the extent that her own safety would be risked at times. Shaking her head, she sighed in defeat as she successfully removed the seventh layer.

"Is this how the children of the newly appointed Viceroy should behave?" half reprimanding half amused.

Standing at the room's entrance was a splitting image of Shuu, except the fact that this one was bespectacled; similar to the former, he too was dressed in his military uniform with his emerald-gray coat with black cuffs and black beret being the only differences.

"Well if it isn't The Fourth Commander-General of the Royal Reconnaissance Regiment, House of Toshiko's future Prince-Elector." The earlier of the two snorted as he slammed the wardrobe he had been analysing shut.

Eyeing his younger twin brother who had now collapsed onto the bed, fanning himself with his cap, he made his way into the room before turning his attention to the pink haired female "Satsuki, I understand that it's warm, so if you would kindly go change into this behind the screen," calming passing Yui a neatly folded pile of clothing before waving his hand in the direction of a hand painted screen depicting a pair of cranes, "on the condition that you wear a wig, a black one please."

Hauling his twin off the bed, earning him a loud yelp; he turned around and headed out with his protesting twin in toll, "We'll be in the waiting area, so hurry."

Unfurling the clothes she had just received, she squealed in delight.

"Thank you Shun-nii! You're definitely the best-est brother ever!"

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"Shun-nii, thank you again for the new clothes, the material is amazing, it's absolutely perfect for the weather here." thankful for her new outfit consisting of a gray shirt bearing the family crest, khaki trousers and a pair of combat boots.

Having successfully evaded the various guests and servants, the trio was now trudging through the forest a mere kilometre from the mansion. The twins too had changed out of their coats, into similar outfits, with their shirts bearing their military unit's crest rather than that of the family's. The undergrowth was getting increasingly dense, with the floor covered in moss and dead leaves.

"Now how exactly did our dutiful heir wriggle out of the reception?" Shuu demanded, interrupting his twin who was about to reply while he hacked off the woody vegetation in their path with a Parang knife.

"I asked for permission." replied Shun simply, smirking as he caught sight of his companions' dumbfounded faces, having stopped dead in their tracks, gaping stupidly at him.

"Well, Father was more than willing to agree to this although I wouldn't know about Lady Cornelia." He admitted.

"As uptight as ever, pity that she's a female, otherwise the Aisin-Gioros would have long been restored back to its former glory." the younger twin shrugged.

"No, mother would never even bear the thought of doing anything that will hurt father." Satsuki countered solemnly.

_I am hitherto your daughter; _

_but here's my husband, _

_And so much duty as my mother show'd _

_To you, preferring you before her father, _

Shun muttered unconsciously.

"And such was the fate of Desdemona, Shakespeare." Shuu pointed out sarcastically, turning to the female "Cornelia would not allow such an end to befall her whilst there is no shred of a doubt that she would most definitely remain faithful. Truly, if it wasn't for that hair of yours Satsuki, no one would ever believe that you're that demon's daughter."

"Shuu, take those careless words back now." While he sounded firm to the untrained ear, the lack of conviction evident to the two.

"No I won't." he said defiantly, the finality pronounced. "She has never treated us like anything more than a servant ever since we've been adopted into the household, and you know it." turning his back on the two before marching ahead.

"Shun, it's okay," gently holding his hands, she continued, "It's true that her treatment of you two has been nothing short of distasteful. Also, I'm afraid that you will have be the one to eat your words instead, Father is nothing like Othello after all." smiling cheekily.

Smiling gently back at her, he patted her head lightly, careful to not mess up her wig.

"Would you two please hurry up? We don't have all day!"

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"Okay, we're here," Sheathing his knife before waving his hand at the direction of the kayaks, "take your pick." before wiping the sheen of sweat on his forehead with the back of his arm.

"Woah, how did these kayaks get here?" Running along the river as she admired how the forest parted itself to make way for the coursing stream of water.

"They grew wings and flew here in accordance to the will of yours truly." Shuu replied derisively as he carelessly dropped two life-jackets into her arms.

Rolling her eyes, she ran towards the older twin, pouting. Chuckling at her expression as he accepted the vest from her, "Shuu sneaked out last night to carry them here, so thank him alright? We'll have to return to the capital tomorrow, so take this as our farewell gift okay?"

"When will I get to see you two again?" she asked quietly, tip-toeing, she looked down, watching creases form on her boots as her vision became increasingly blurred.

"As soon as possible." He answered as gently as he could, bending down to meet her eye, he gave her a soft smile, gently wiping away the tears that were threatening to fall with his right hand.

An honest answer, she was thankful for that, but the implications of the answer she chewed her lower lip, not wanting to let him hear how shaky her voice was, she nodded her head in acknowledgement.

Slowly trudging back towards Shuu who was now getting impatient, rambling on how they were wasting his time.

Wordlessly wrapping her arms around her adopted brother, jaws clenched to prevent herself from crying again, she buried her face in his chest.

Having recovered from his initial shock, he cradled her gently in his arms in return, resting his chin on her head, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

"Sorry for being such a grouch today," he mumbled "take care of yourself and please stay safe."

The sincerity and urgency in the latter half was not missed as moisture began to seep through the maroon cotton shirt.

"I'll pray for our Empire's victory." she finally whispered, tilting her head upwards to meet a pair of black, bottomless pits bearing into hers; pink orbs shielded by a pair of black contact lenses, resulting in a vine black hue_ and I'd give up twenty years of my life in exchange for both of your safe return_.

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_Was it to keep left? No I'm pretty sure Shuu-nee said right, either way, I'll just turn back if it's the wrong one. _

Sighing she decided to go down the right stream, the twins had gone ahead, refusing to tell her what they were up to, the only answer she manage to get from them was that it was a surprise along with instructions on how to get to them. Meanwhile, she was left to explore the river on her own; the water was reddish brown, carrying eroded soil washed off the river bank by rain and a hint of rust from an abandoned iron mine in the upper reaches of the river, gently lapping against the sides of her boat.

Closing her eyes while taking in a deep breath of the earthy forest air, she tried to focus on the gentle sound of her paddle lapping against the water's surface in an attempt to clear her mind of the heavy thoughts that were currently weighing her down.

_"Satsuki, as you would have heard the tragic news regarding the assassination of your Uncle, Lord Tadaka, and his wife, Lady Tamiko, I intend to adopt their children, your cousins Shun and Shuu into the family, but you know father would never do so without your consent. So what do you think love?" _

_It was autumn, streaks of electricity, blinding blue danced across the gray sky, raiding every corner of the gray heavens, looking for something, an entrance perhaps. Each attempt was answered by the stirring rumble of sleeping beasts, the faithful guardians of the golden gates. As the two battled it out in the sky, tears of pain and sorrow fell onto earth, pouring, the battle between immortals, at a speed beyond mankind's comprehension caused the air to swirl as raindrops lashed against windows, venting their frustration. _

_The crinkling of paper could be heard as the ancient pine doors covered with white paper swung open, stepping through the Karamon, puddles rippled by the falling rain covered the stone path littered with red maple leaves, leading up to the mansion's main hall where the coffins laid. _

_Fists balled tightly around the hem of her father's suit, chewing on her lower lip with a determined look on her face, the hall was now in sight, the ancient structure was draped with black and white cloth, both the door and the insides of the hall itself. _

_Dressed in a black dress with puffed sleeves, her pink hair flowed gently down to her shoulders with her fringe neatly held up by a couple of pins. It was past midnight, four-year-old Satsuki was trying her best to remain awake and the weather was doing nothing to help, resorting to forcing her eyes to open as wide as they could. _

_It was one of her few trips out from her parents' mansion, a first that she was able to leave without the need for any disguise. She didn't know why, and no one was willing to tell her the reason, "when you're older" they would always say. _

_She could now make out two silhouettes kneeling in front of the altar; the urge to cry suddenly overwhelmed her. _

_Noticing that his daughter was now shivering from the cold, he passed the umbrella he was holding to his servant, gently scooping her up in his arms. "Your grandfather will be arriving shortly, so please do greet him." _

_"What is grandfather like? How would I know it's him?" eyes sparkling with curiosity. _

_After a long pause he finally replied, "You'll know it when you see him." monotonous, suddenly devoid of any emotions. Having reached the hall, he bent down, carefully placing Satsuki down on the steps, holding her hand as they entered. _

_"Uncle," standing up to greet the guests, "thank you for coming." _

_"My condolences Shun," from the corner of his eye, he could see the younger twin who was still kneeling on the floor, with a still wearing an expression of disbelief, "you two should go and rest soon, I'll stay overnight here to keep vigil." _

_Letting go of her father's hand, she went ahead to kneel down before the altar, placing her hands flat against each other, closing her eyes in a silent prayer._

_ The flower arrangement was subdued, consisting mainly of white lilies and black roses, the portraits placed in front of their respective coffins with their ihai before it. The glowing amber slowly crept downwards, creating wisps of smoke that floated into the storm as soon as they were created. Opening her eyes, she counted the seconds to when the burnt incense would eventually fell into the urn, only to be interrupted at six by the sound of footsteps from outside the hall._

_ Shuu wordlessly got up, gently tugging Satsuki gently by the arm, urging her to get up. She meekly followed after her cousin to the entrance. _

_There, wearing a Jet black Ulster coat with a crew cut with a hint of graying hair above his ears, nodding in acknowledgement of his grandchildren's greeting. He silently studied each one of them, lingering a little longer on his granddaughter before turning his attention to his son. _

_Stealing a quick glance at his daughter, he waved his hand, indicating that they were dismissed, as he ushered his father to a private room adjunct to the hall._

_ Clueless as to what to do next, she had simply trailed after the twins who had also taken the cue to leave. Unsure of what to say to her cousins whom she had just met for the first time, at their parents' funeral, no less; she diverted her anxiety towards the massive hallway that they had just entered, having finally exited the dark, soundproof passageways of the house, probably some form of shortcut. _

_Unlike the ancient hall and Karamon, which were likely to be the only remaining pieces of traditional Japanese architecture in the mansion, the rest of the house was clearly made in accordance to the architecture of the post-Meiji restoration era, a blend of neoclassical hints of ancient Japan. She marveled at the high ceilings was one that starkly contrasted that of her house, built in a blend of traditional Chinese and Japanese, a gesture she found sweet by her father for her mother who was still very frail for reasons she did not know. _

_The sudden flash blue-white which could be seen through the large windows, stretching from the ceiling to the floor, that line the hallway, bouncing off the occasional glided mirrors that lined the long walkway before it was succeeded by a resounding roar. A light so unearthly, seemingly stretching from the very surface of earth to the empyrean, filling the heavens with it, as though it has broke through every gate with the thunder marking the guards' defeat, as though the speed of time had been momentarily altered. The gold frames it seemed, had momentarily glowed that very shade of blue upon its mirror's successful capture of the light. Turning her head away from the mirror she was greeted by two worried faces._

Unconscious of what she had been paddling into, her body suddenly lurched forward, jolting her awake.

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Rambles:

Okay this story was based off one of my dreams, I get pretty weird dreams just so you know. Anyways, I'm a sucker for fantasy and tragedy, and my execution list is already out, so yea be mentally prepared. Thank you so much for reading! And as always, a review maybe?


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